Seeing double . . .

I found this old picture in a stack that my mom gave me.

Me at exactly four months on my christening day.

And here's a new one.

Emmeline at five days shy of four months, in the same dress.

Same dress.

Same age.

She is totally cuter.

Emmeline - 4 Months

Emmeline is four months old today. She is growing up so fast! Her stats are:

Weight: 13 lbs. 8 oz. (up one and a half pounds in two months)
Length: 24.5"
Head: 17"

Developmentally, she is changing every day. Some new milestones include:

• putting toys and things into her mouth
• reaching for objects, like keys, grocery lists, etc.
• taking her paci out and putting it back in
• standing (supported by us, of course)
• passing toys from hand to hand (she has just started this)
• playing with her feet, including taking off her socks
• "chatting" with us, and she is adding in some consenants
• showing interest in our food (I don't think she is quite ready for solids yet, but she sure likes to sit in our laps and watch us eat.)
• slinging her toys around (she enjoys the rattling that they make)

All in all, she is a total joy, and we really love her so much.

"There's a thin line between Saturday night, and Sunday morning . . ."

Before we get started, does anybody know where that quote is from?

So yesterday (Saturday) was Halloween and today (Sunday) is All Saint's Day. Emmeline celebrated both, so here are the pics.

She was a rock star for Halloween. Her shirt says "The Hissyfits" on the front and "Rock Me!" on the back. She wore zebra print pants and I spiked her hair up with Karo syrup, a trick I learned from the guy who has been cutting my hair forever.

We went to visit David's parents and my parents and she was a HUGE hit, of course. She was quite cute and really seemed to like being dressed up. Of course, that could have been her high-contrast pants!

Today we baptized Emmeline at St. Andrew's, the church where I was baptized, and married. It was such a great service. She was a fabulous child and didn't get fussy until the very end. The choir sang an arrangement of "Be Thou My Vision" that was a wedding gift to me from my friend Michael Smith. It was so great to have it heard at Emmeline's baptism, too! We had a reception afterward and it was so wonderful. I couldn't have asked for a better day!

This picture has nothing to do with Halloween or her baptism, but I love it so I included it. David took it in our back yard and she looks so sweet in it. I must say, my husband is a wonderful photographer!!!

Speaking of my husband, he is recovering from the swine flu, so send some good thoughts his way. David has had what he thought was a cold for a couple of weeks. Last Friday, when he was still feeling cruddy and with a long weekend of work and the baptism ahead, he went to a doc in a box to see if he had walking pneumonia. No, but he was at the tail end (we hope) of the swine flu.

Thank God Emmeline and I were spared (we think), knock on wood. We thought his cold was something he picked up from me or Emmeline since we have both been a little sick in the past few weeks. Who knew that it was swine flu!!!!

Anyway, that's all from here. I'll try to do another post this week about some of the non-baby things going on around here.

Emmeline - 3 months (and 3 weeks)

I sure hope you all haven't been waiting on the edge of your seats for this update, because it is LATE! It has taken some adjustment going back to work. Just when we had gotten into the swing of things - mama has to throw a wrench in it! I've had it started for a long time, but I'm just now finishing it. Perhaps I'll post Halloween pictures for Thanksgiving.

Anyway, Emmeline is doing great. She sleeps so well. We are very fortunate. She has adjusted to daycare without a hitch and really seems to enjoy it. Her two teachers, Mary and Amy like her because she is such an easy-going baby. She is such a little rock star (especially the hair), as you can see from the following picture!
We didn't weigh her this month, but she is a total chunk, and I mean that in the nicest way. I mean, look at those cheeks. I'd say her days of not gaining well are way in the past.
She is hitting all of her developmental milestones right on target. Her new accomplishments this month are:

• rolling over back to front and front to back (she accomplished both of these the day before she turned three months)
• mini-push-ups (see picture below, she loves tummy time)
• "stands up" if you hold her, bears weight on legs
• smiles and coos at our funny songs and faces (Tragically, "Party in the U.S.A." is a favorite.)
  
• "talks" and laughs
• Her favorite game right now is spitting-out-her-spit. It is equal parts gross and sweet. She seems so pleased with herself, even though her front is slimy wet all the time.
• "watching" us, following us and the dogs with her eyes
• She loves sitting in her bumbo. I'll leave you with a couple of pictures of that!

We have Halloween and her baptism this weekend, followed by her four month check up and her four month birthday at the end of the week. Also, I've been trying to make some progress on the craft loft so I'll need to show you that! It look like I'll need to be a better blogger. Somehow it seems like more fun to hug on the baby than to blog about her, but I'll do my best!!!

Emmeline - 2 months

Emmeline is two months old. I just can't believe it. She weighs 11 pounds 10 ounces and is 24 inches long. She is growing like a weed!
What is ridiculous is her hair. It is so long, or tall, depending on how you look at it. It stands straight up on the top and lays completely flat on the sides and back because of holding her.

Here are a few of her recent highlights:

1. She is getting so much personality. She has distinct likes (kisses, watching and batting at toys, singing) and dislikes (wet diapers, being hungry, being gassy).
   
2. She is a very happy baby. She only cries when she needs something, so not a lot of incessant fussing, which is great. She really doesn't like being hungry or sleepy.
   
3. She smiles a lot now - especially at David's funny faces and my singing. (I'm not quite sure how to take that.)
   
4. She laughs in her sleep, but I have yet to hear a real laugh out loud. We are really looking forward to baby giggles.
   
5. She coos and gurgles at us when she is amused.
6. She flirts with the ceiling fan. First she will smile at it, and then she will turn her head away coyly. It is quite funny - we think that it is her first boyfriend.
7. She will stand up, if supported.
   
8. She loves all of the toys on her activity mat. She grabs and holds onto the turtle and the octopus. She loves her mobile, too. The both play classical music, which she enjoys, and she hates when it stops.
9. She really likes chewing on her hands. It isn't really sucking her fingers, though she does that some too.
   
10. She sleeps very well (5-7.5 hours) and is getting onto a good schedule. This is what a normal day looks like. (A note: "play" means many things; tummy time, time on her activity mat or swing, walking around the house talking to me and the dogs, or even a running dialog about what we are buying at Sam's.)
    

• Up at 5 or 6 to eat and then back to sleep until 8ish.
• Up to eat and then play until about 10 and then nap until 11.
• Up to eat and then play until about 1 and then nap until 2 or 3.
• Up to eat and then play until 5 or 6 without much of a nap.
• Eat again around 7 or 8 and then play while we eat dinner.
• Bathtime (every other night) and then to bed, either in the pack and play in the living room or in your crib in our bedroom. Sometimes you like to be where the action is.
• Up to nurse (more like a dream feed) one last time around 10 or 11 when we go to bed.
• Lather, rinse, repeat.
  

All in all, we are so blessed to have such a beautiful and smart child. David and I are looking forward to getting to know Emmeline more as we all grow!